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Gabon - US Relations

The United States on 23 October 2023 ended assistance to Gabon over its August 30 coup but said it was ready to provide aid in return for concrete progress toward democracy. The United States, which had already paused assistance after the military takeover, said it had formally determined that a coup took place, which under US law requires an end to non-humanitarian aid. "We will resume our assistance alongside concrete actions by the transitional government toward establishing democratic rule," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

"The United States stands with the Gabonese people in their aspirations for democracy, prosperity and stability." Unlike in Niger, another African country where the United States recently severed aid over a coup, US assistance has been minimal to Gabon, which is wealthy from oil and was run by the Bongo family for more than half a century.

Relations between the United States and Gabon had been excellent. Siding with the West during the Cold War, Bongo assiduously sought a closer relationship with the United States, particularly at the presidential level. Overcoming French-fueled suspicion of U.S. involvement in the 1964 anti-Mba coup and other early episodes, he opened the door to U.S. investment in the oil sector and met with US presidents from Richard Nixon to George W. Bush.

In 1987, President Bongo made an official visit to Washington, DC. In September 2002, Secretary of State Colin Powell made a brief but historic visit to Gabon to highlight environmental protection and conservation in the Central Africa region. This was followed by a visit to the White House by President Bongo in May 2004. On March 8, 2010 President Bongo Ondimba met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington, DC. On June 9, 2011 President Bongo Ondimba was received by President Barack Obama. President Obama urged President Bongo Ondimba to take bold steps to root out corruption and to reform the judiciary and other key institutions to ensure the protection of human rights, and he welcomed the reforms that Gabon has taken under President Bongo Ondimba to bring more transparency and accountability to government.

The United States imports a considerable percentage of Gabonese crude oil and manganese and exports heavy construction equipment, aircraft, and machinery to Gabon. Through a modest International Military Education and Training program, the United States provides military training to members of the Gabonese armed forces each year. In May 2009, the USS Nashville conducted a mission to help train Gabonese naval officers in maritime security. Other bilateral assistance includes the funding of small grants for qualified democracy and human rights, self-help, and cultural preservation projects. U.S. private capital has been attracted to Gabon since before its independence.

Gabon has had significant involvement with the United States. During the mid-1960s, the French attempted to limit US involve ment in Gabon, hinting that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was behind the 1964 coup attempt. However, Bongo reached out to US companies in the 1970s to obtain funding for his Trans-Gabonese railroad.

Today, the US military supports Gabon. Under the auspices of the new Africa Command (AFRICOM), US forces have engaged in joint training missions with the Gabonese military. Most members of Gabon’s security forces support the combined training exercises and view them as opportunities to learn from the US military and increase their capabilities.

Four MV-22 Ospreys, two KC-130J Hercules tankers, more than 150,000 pounds of gear and almost 200 U.S. Marines and sailors have effectively relocated half of a continent away from their base in Moròn, Spain, effectively enabling the force to reach an estimated 400 additional miles inland, 10-15 June 2015. The Marines worked with the government of Gabon to test the full-scale employment of the force on the continent. Their forward-staged compound, known as a Cooperative Security Location [similar to a forward-staging base], is complete with dining, living, hygiene, and command and control facilities. The location also provides the Marines with easy access to their MV-22 Osprey and KC-130J aircraft, which are critical in providing a crisis-response capability over a geographically dispersed area. For this particular CSL, the Marines planned to support up to 200 personnel. From those personnel, there were around 20 logistics Marines who are providing direct support and two platoons of infantrymen that are able to embark on the Ospreys. That’s the point of these CSLs.

SPMAGTF-CR-AF resources, capabilities, and strategic location allow it to accomplish a broad spectrum of missions ranging from partner nation training or disaster relief and humanitarian aid, to protecting or reinforcing an embassy at the direction of US Africa Command. While in Gabon, the US Marines conducted training with Gabonese forces as well as tour the US embassy.